Make Leaf Mold Compost For Free Long Lasting Garden Mulch

Fallen leaves are an invaluable asset to any garden, offering mulch as a solution to suppressing weeds, improving soil texture and increasing fertility over time.

Leaf mold differs from compost in that its transformation occurs via slow “cold” fungal breakdown. As a result, it’s ideal for improving clay soils while holding onto moisture in sandy ones; mulching perennials and roses; and mixing into seed-start mixes.

How to Make Leaf Mold

Nature has provided gardeners with an incredible natural resource: dark brown, earthy leaf mold. A wonderful natural mulch, soil amendment and potting mix; low in nutrients so as not to burn tender seedlings but rich enough for improving soil structure and increasing water retention.

Contrary to compost heaps which break down through heat and bacteria action, leaf mould is formed through the slow action of fungi, taking anywhere between one to five years depending on weather and geography for completion.

Deciduous tree leaves like oak, beech and hornbeam produce the highest-grade leafmoulds. Birch and alder leaves also work well. Leathery chestnut, walnut and sycamore leaves take longer to break down; therefore it should first be shredded. Evergreen needles shouldn’t be added since these don’t decompose easily and should only be used if making acidic leafmould for ericaceous plants.

1. Collect Leaves

Leaf mold is a dark, crumbly mulch made of decomposed leaves used by gardeners as an organic soil amendment or in container gardening applications. It makes an excellent substitute for peat moss in potting mixes.

Create leaf mold by collecting leaves from your yard and depositing them in a bin or pile. Decomposition typically takes one or two years; you can speed this process along by tending the pile over winter by turning and keeping it moistened; this should accelerate decomposition significantly.

All deciduous (annually-falling) leaves are suitable for creating leaf mold, although some types decompose faster than others. Small, thin leaves like those from birches decompose quickly while large leathery ones like those from horse chestnuts should be shredded before being added to your compost pile. Evergreen and trees known to release growth-inhibiting chemicals (like walnut, eucalyptus and cherry laurel trees) may contain toxic compounds that inhibit plant growth – be wary about including evergreen trees such as walnut, Eucalyptus and cherry laurel trees as these could contain chemicals which could be toxic to some plants causing diseases of their own!

2. Shred Leaves

Leaf mold (commonly referred to outside North America as leaf mould) occurs when leaves break down slowly under cool-moist conditions by fungi, providing an organic path from waste piles into rich, fertile soil. Deciduous woodlands benefit greatly from this natural process which transforms leaves from piles into rich humic soil.

To speed up this process, try running your leaves through a lawn mower or shredding them with a hand-held shredder first before adding them to your pile. Doing so exposes more surface area for microorganisms to consume and expedites decomposition more rapidly than when whole, unshredded leaves compress, limiting oxygen from reaching their full potential and hindering decomposition.

As part of your compost pile-building process, add high-nitrogen materials such as grass clippings or kitchen scraps to provide sufficient nutrition for microorganisms. You can do this as you build or simply sprinkle some on top during building to improve carbon/nitrogen ratio. A layer of this composted material makes an excellent mulch for perennial and vegetable gardens alike – not to mention lightening shade gardens’ soil or improving sandy or clay-like garden soil conditions!

3. Mix Leaves

Leaf compost (commonly known as leaf mulch or leaf mold) is truly miraculous stuff, filled with earthy brown tones and low in nutrients to protect tender seedlings, but high in organic matter that improves soil structure and moisture retention. Plus it plays host to billions of microbes such as fungi, bacteria and archea – homecoming!

Deciduous trees such as oak, beech and hornbeam produce leaves best suited for making leaf mold, while thick leathery leaves like those found on chestnut, holly and laurel trees take longer to decompose, so should be shredded first before being added into your mold mix. Evergreen needles and conifer needles should also be avoided as these will eventually break down anyway.

Create an effective leafmold pile easily by piling your shredded leaves in an enclosed space large enough to retain heat and moisture without them blowing away. A cage made of chicken wire or fencing stapled together works well, or alternatively use a custom wood or metal bin for best results. Check regularly, adding small amounts of water as necessary, to re-hydrate the surface – after approximately one year your leafmold should be ready for use as garden mulch or soil amendment!

4. Keep Leaves Moisturized

Making leaf mold involves keeping leaves moist; microorganisms rely on moisture for breakdown of organic matter, so keeping the pile moist is crucial to its success. To accelerate the breakdown process, sprinkle a small amount of high nitrogen material, such as grass clippings or well-rotted manure over your leaf compost pile to speed things along.

Commercial accelerators such as sawdust, shredded bark or wood chips may help, or you can take an even easier route: simply place harvested leaves in a tarpaulin-covered wire frame supported by chicken wire in an unused corner of your garden and leave for up to two years without disturbing them – checking periodically and adding water if it seems dry.

Use of leaf mould as mulch is proven to conserve moisture and combat soil erosion, while providing shade from harsh sunlight which would otherwise bake the ground and damage roots, leading to reduced evaporation by up to 60%. Shredded leaves make an ideal layer for annual and perennial flower gardens, vegetable plots, rose bushes and trees as mulch.